Imported British & French Saddlery

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$The British 1856 UP (Universal Pattern) \"wooden Arch\" Saddle. Never a popular pattern even with the British they were imported into the Confederacy in unknown quantities. This is a very complete example of a very rare surviving saddle.$

$British 1860 pattern \"pad\" bit with Queen Victoria\'s Royal crest.$

$British Naval cartridge box made of \"London\" leather.$ $This \"C\" boss is found on the British \"Pad\" bits imported from England by the Confederacy. It is also found excavated by itself as seen here leading to specualtion that it may have been also used on other horse equipment such as bridle rosettes and martingales.$ $A complete example of this \"C\" Boss bit imported by the South. This is of iron but a rare few identical bits are found made of brass cheeks (and iron mouth).$

$CRIMEA WAR 1854-56: Lt Gen. William Codrington. Note the similarities of this saddle and stirrups to today\'s English saddles! Scary!$

$French Carabinier Officer\'s bit.$

$Another 1856 British UP \"Wooden-arch\" Pattern saddle. Surviving examples are few. Those with the spoon cantle intact are even more rare.$

$Another 1860 pattern British military bit without a boss. These bits are found in a variety of bosses (or without). This example was found in an antique store in Nashville Tennessee in the 1980\'s.$

$M1853 French artillery bit. The South generally made their own artillery harness importing only a limited amount of British. It is noted in the records at least one set of French artillery harness was imported early in the war but likely little after that as Caleb Huse seemed to prefer the British patterns to the French. Therefore, while these were available during our CW and it is possible a few came in through the Blockade it was likely only a few at best. However, as this bit was used by the French in Mexico immediately after our war and into WWI, most of those found likely came to the states \"after\" our conflict.$ $M1821 British enlistedmen\'s Light Cavalry Saber.$

$Confederate Lt. Nathan Roberts astride his imported British Hussar\'s saddle. Roberts was killed in the fighting around Atlanta.$

$TJ Stonewall Jackson\'s British Light Cavalry \"Hussars\" c. 1850\'s, saddle given him in early 1863 by British admirers. This saddle can be found today atop his \"Lil Sorrel\" at the VMI Museum in Lexington Va.$ $The crupper, reins, martingale and headstall used by Capt. Morgan of the 17th Lancer\'s in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava (Crimea War) 1854. Note the scalloped ornamentation on the martingale and crupper and its similarities to the English \"C\" boss bits imported by the Confederacy.$ $See more at www.confederatesaddles.com British Hussar’s Saddle (c. 1850\'s) British Hussar’s saddle and equipment used by Capt. Morgan of Her Majesty’s 17th Royal Lancers in the famous \"Charge of the Light Brigade\" at Balaklava in the Crimean War of 1854. This pattern of British Hussars saddle dates back at least to the early 1850\'s and possibly earlier. A nearly identical pattern of this saddle was given by British admirers to Gen. T J. \"Stonewall\" Jackson just a few months before his death. It is on display today atop his stuffed horse \"Lil Sorrel\" at the V.M.I. Museum in Lexington, Va. Many hundreds of these saddles were imported by the Confederacy during the war and preferred by Confederate officers over the new British Universal Pattern of 1856. 17th Lancers Museum, London England$

$1860 British \"Pad\" bit with \"C\" boss: Most of these 1860 pattern British army \"pad\" bits are found made of cast iron with and without a boss of some kind. A few are found of brass like this one with the same pattern \"C\" boss. Private collection. These \"C\" bosses are also occasionally found on bridles. For more information and photos of this and other pattern British bits see the book \"Confederate Saddles and Horse Equipment\" By Ken R. Knopp (see home page).$ $British Colonial pattern bit with \"CS\" stamped in brass boss on cheek piece.$ $All brass French military Officer\'s stirrups. These are believed to date back to the first half of the 19th century.$ $There are many slight variations of size and pattern in British Hussar\'s stirrups. Here are two.$ $British Horse Brush!! English historians including those of the Royal Mews and the Barrack Master at the Household Cavalry depot believe this brush to be a late Victorian, possibly Boer War, dandy brush. It was standard issue to all regiments of the British Army. It\'s Royal Crest is similar to the Victorian era of the late 19th century. Nevertheless, a nice relic in excellent condition and clearly showing all motifs and markings.$

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$British \"ready-made\" horse shoe. This horse shoe is reputed to have been found in the wreck of a Confederate Blockade Runner. Virginia Historical Soc. Collection$

$CS imported British army wood canteen. Courtesy the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. From the article \"English Connection\" by Russ Pritchard Jr and C.A. Huey. North South Trader, Vol. 34, No. 5, 2010.$ $Absolutely wonderful pair of CS imported British army shoes. Courtesy the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. From the article \"English Connection\" by Russ Pritchard Jr and C.A. Huey. North South Trader, Vol. 34, No. 5, 2010.$

$Relic saddle from battle of Waterloo. Complete with bullet holes. This saddle was used by Cornet James Gape who joined the 2nd or Royal NOrth British Dragoons in 1813. He narrowly escaped death in the Battle of Waterloo, aged 16, when two musket balls fired by one of Napoleon\'s troops missed him and lodged in his saddle. He later wrote his mother,...\"We were ordered up the hill and after 3 hours charged the enemy in the finest possible style....I recieved a bullet from a Frenchman not 20 yds from me, it went ghrough my cloak and lodged in my saddle which it has completed spoiled.\" From the book ALL THE QUEEN\'S HORSES.$

$Latye 17th century English Gentleman\'s saddle with ornate details, velvet seat and high cantles. Owned by Sir Robert Hildyard, 1st Baronet of Winestead in Yorkshire, a distingquished British Civil War solder who served under Prince Rupert.$

$This recently discovered bit appears to be French but I cannot be sure. It has French type cheek pieces. Likely an officer\'s bit it was brass plated at one time. The boss is a Louisiana Pelican in very excellent detail. The Pelican is solid silver on a brass background. Could this be a Louisiana Confederate or militia officer\'s bit?$

$Top is a British army single link curb strap taken from a British 1860 “Pad” bit. Note its fine curb hooks. The bottom brass curb chain is interesting. I believe it to be a high end quality curb strap as determined by the “link loop” that is often found on curb chains for attachment (with leather) to bridles. It was found in a dig box at a CW show. The digger told me he believed it to be a Shako (hat) chin strap. I am doubtful of this. The only chain employed on Shako hats was the 1881 Dress Shako and its decorative chain was not tapered and much longer nor did it have the single loop link. According to Randy Steffen, in the 1840\'s the Dragoon bridles (M1841and Ringold patterns) employed a spare curb chain on the top of the crown piece of the bridle. This could be one of those or just a high quality curb chain for a fancy bridle. No way to know for sure. The curb hooks are comparisons....on left is a high quality period brass version and on right is a more modern but well made (tapered) variation that is plated.$

$British bit of the Yorkshire Hussar\'s$ $British 1860 military \"pad\" bits with boss variations.$

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Since 2000